Turn and Talk is widely used in early-grade classrooms, but very little rigorous research or evidence-based guidance has been offered to teachers. In this exploratory paper, we take the first step toward establishing a teacher-friendly discussion on this common technique. After briefly describing the Turn and Talk technique, we first ask: What…

This study aimed to examine verbal behaviors within communicative interactions at the teacher/classroom level among second-grade classrooms that differ in socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. Investigators recorded and examined language use across instructional periods for 38 second-grade classrooms. Teachers' communication behaviors were…

Language classroom interactions can be characterized as multimodal, since teachers may resort to a variety of resources provided by their body or by their immediate space in order to convey meaning, manage activities and assess pupils' performances. Furthermore, teachers' multimodal practices constitute an essential component for the…

Although authentic dialogue between teachers and young children is vital to the learning process, increasingly diverse student populations and a focus on high-stakes testing, challenge teachers' approaches to such conversations. This study examined the verbal and nonverbal interactions between five teachers and young children using child-taken…

The paper proposes a theoretical and methodological framework based on a pluralistic, concerted approach to the study of activities that take place in and through speech interactions. The framework has a general scope, applying to any collective activity taking form through language interactions. It contributes to a fuller understanding of the…

In Croatia, a radical change appeared in education in 1995. The Ministry of Education and Science of Croatia approved and funded the research project entitled "Information and communication competences of educators" that consisted of two parts: theoretical, study of the available literature on the communication competence of teachers in…

A preliminary study was conducted to investigate the communicative roles performed by teacher and pupil during Key Stage 3 (KS3) English lessons. Two classes of a special school were involved in the study. Data collection employed video capture of teacher-pupil communication during timetabled English lessons. The data were transcribed and analysed…

To better understand how teachers can capitalize on the power of story problems, Jacobs and Ambrose analyzed teacher-student conversations in problem-solving interviews. They identified eight categories of teacher moves that, when timed properly, were productive in advancing mathematical conversations. (Contains 2 tables.)

This article discusses how teachers and parents can help build children's communication skills. Children's language develops in predictable stages. Here, the author outlines these stages. She also gives suggestions to parents on how to help build their communication skills at home. Language learning takes place throughout the classroom. The author…